Jeff Goldblum, Crime Solver

I never thought we’d see Jeff Goldblum on a TV procedural. And now, a second season! Were you worried you had too much, say, personality for Law & Order?

I’ve tried to graduate from the worrying.

Has that come with age?

I used to be a little fretful here or there. Dick Wolf and I had a talk where he said, "I want to do something with this character where your strengths are used." Whatever those may be.

Had you been a Law & Order fan? It’s impossible to avoid.

It is everywhere. But we get great directors. Tom DiCillo is working today. And so many wonderful actors have been on it. Jerry Orbach. Sam Waterston.

**A lot of theater folks. Speaking of which: You were excellent in The Pillowman on Broadway a few years back. Have you been to see Martin McDonagh’s new play, the one with Christopher Walken? **

I have not, but I can’t wait. Chris Walken—I’ve done four movies with him. We’ve never done a scene together, but we’ve come to know each other.

Wait, you’ve done four movies together but never shared the screen?

That’s right, that’s right. We’ve crossed paths. I think the first one was Annie Hall. Which I have a little part in, of course.

It’s one of the most memorable parts. You’re at that Hollywood party and you’re on the phone, complaining: "I forgot my mantra." Do you have a mantra when you’re on set at_ Law & Order?_

Well, my mantra changes from day to day, here and there, but you know, I need all the help I can get. Let’s see, what’s today’s? Oh yes! "Your authentic self is always within immediate and intimate proximity, range, and it’s as plain"—I’m sort of paraphrasing from this little bit that I read this morning—"it’s plain as the nose on your face."

Where did that come from?

I’m reading this little Ramana Maharshi book. It has wisdom of it of one kind or another. So I sort of read a little bit and then extrapolate it into a bit of help and compass for the day.

It was crazy. I was sitting at home in L.A. I was in my office on the phone for one reason or another, and my publicist said, "I don’t know how to tell you this, but there’s this rumor going around that you’re dead." My mother called. She was upset. Some people who I hadn’t heard from in a long time called—and it was weird. It was a rare chance to see what it’s like at your own funeral. The first time I ever cried at a movie was at _Gigot, _with Jackie Gleason. This is in late 50s, early 60s or something. I remember weeping. He was a village sort of mute person, and was kicked around by the town. They think he’s dead—he’s not—and they realize they love him. They give him a very festive, heartfelt funeral, and he peeps out from behind a tree. He looks out and he’s crying, and I’m crying too. This was sort of like that.

You were, for some time, the voice on the Apple commercials. For the early Macintosh, I think. Are you still getting discounts? Will you be getting an iPad before everyone else?

I don’t think I’ve been in touch with Apple since that campaign ran out. But I use an Apple and I consider myself very much a part of their family, I suppose. A distant cousin.

You’re an accomplished musician. Get to play much?

I play with the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra whenever I’m in L.A. Over the Christmas break, I went back there, and we had a gig on New Year’s Eve. It’s one of the delights of my life. The musicians are good. We never rehearse. It’s kind of a public, informal jam session. I’m here at my piano now, in my dressing room, with one of the books that I take to the gig. I play different songs every day. Today, it’s turned to "Let’s Get Lost." Do you know that song? [sings] _Let’s get lost, lost in each other’s arms. _

**Did you ever sit in with Woody Allen’s jazz band? **

I’d love to. But no.

This summer, you’re in a film with Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston called The Switch—

Is that when it comes out, the summer?

Yes. How’d the filming go?

I enjoyed it—all my scenes were with Jason Bateman, and I love him.

Were you an Arrested Development fan?

I had never seen it. My sister said, "Oh, you’re working with him, you should see Arrested Development." I’d heard people talk about it all these years, so I bought—as one can do these days—the whole box set, and I sat in my apartment for a couple of days straight and just watched the whole thing through, start to finish. I loved every minute of it. I love Gob on that thing he rides around on.

The Segway. They are quite a family, those Bluths.

I feel the family has some resemblance to my own.

Really?

I don’t know which brother I am. I don’t think I’m Buster.

There’s talk in Hollywood of re-releasing some old action films in 3D. Any talk about Jurassic Park: 3D?

That’s interesting. I haven’t seen 3D—in a recent period of time—until Avatar. I was like a 12-year-old boy there on acid, trying to touch the screen.

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